


5 Times Peter Heard About Miles Morales

by Never_Give_In



Series: Michelle Jones-Morales [1]
Category: Spider-Man (Ultimateverse), Spider-Man (Video Game 2018), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Spider-Man Fusion, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Bilingual Character(s), Bisexual Michelle Jones, Bisexual Peter Parker, Brother-Sister Relationships, Canon Relationships, F/M, Family Dynamics, Gen, Graffiti, Half-Siblings, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Titles, Michelle Jones Is a Good Bro, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, References to Canon, Series, Spanish Translation, Speculation, Spoilers, Tags May Change, Ultimate Spider-Man - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2019-10-05 07:05:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17320283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Never_Give_In/pseuds/Never_Give_In
Summary: ...and the one time he met him.---Peter thought he knew everything there was to know about his girlfriend, but he soon finds out about her younger brother, Miles.ORThe one in which author loved Into The Spider-verse and thought of a perfect way to fit Miles into the MCU based off subtle Easter eggs and some canon tweaking.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first ever MCU fanfiction, and I'm a little scared but hopefully this idea gets some traction, especially since I've never seen anyone else do something like this before.
> 
> The first part of this is honestly horrible- the dialogue is stilted and I couldn't get the details I wanted in, but that might just be because my depression sometimes influences my writing and makes it come across as drab.
> 
> Hopefully this won't happen here, and I hope that the story gets better after the first section- the only reason it even exists is to give some backstory for my AU and give Michelle a bit more characterization. Oh, and I don't know a lot about divorces or marriage or anything to do with the legal process, so any inaccuracies are entirely me.
> 
> One last thing: I have no knowledge of Spanish, any and all dialogue in Spanish is from Google translate so please let me know if something is off.

“MJ, what if-”

 

“Nope.”

 

“…”

 

“Okay, then how about-”

 

“Never.”

 

“…”

 

“MJ-”

 

Michelle abruptly stopped walking, a completely bored look on her face as Peter nearly slipped on the wet pavement. He caught himself last second _(damn his spider reflexes)_ and tightened his grip on her hand, meeting her gaze.

 

“Michelle-”

“Peter, I swear, if I hear one more word out of you before we get to my house, I’m going to get Ned to shut down your suit.”

 

Peter paused, opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it. When Michelle threatened something, she always saw it through- the deadpan reveal of his secret identity to the decathlon team would be forever ingrained in his memory.

 

Michelle’s face took on a smug expression before resuming her walk, Peter easily keeping up with her long strides. The sights and sounds of Brooklyn echoed through the night as they kept close together, walking out of reach of the dank alleyways and shadowy addicts that eyeballed them as they headed to Michelle’s apartment building.

 

After weeks of pleading from her mother, Michelle had finally caved and told Peter that he was going to meet her parents for dinner. Of course, this then involved a ten minute freakout in which Ned had to keep his best friend from hyperventilating while she just smirked and returned her attention to her book. Two days later, and here they were, a half an hour swing from Peter’s apartment and just feet away from her own.

 

In the silence that stretched between them, Michelle thought amusedly back to when she had told him to swing to this side of the city instead of one of the wealthy areas, where Flash and most of their school’s student body lived. It was a fair reaction, though. Michelle didn’t advertise the fact that she was a scholarship kid like Peter (although it was pretty rare for anyone to even initiate a conversation with her and stay engaged enough to even ask in the first place). Hell, despite the fact that her dad was a cop, her family still didn’t have enough money to afford good schools. Her whole childhood was comprised of lottery drawings and pitiful grants.

 

“We’re here.” Michelle announced, coming to a stop in front of an old brick building identical to pretty much any other in the area.

 

“Wh-”

 

Peter only got one syllable out before her glare cut him off.

 

Still holding hands, Michelle led him up the familiar flight of stairs and shifted her grip on her book bag as she arrived in front of the wood door of her family’s apartment. Glancing at Peter, she found amusement in how nervous he looked.

 

“You can talk now, you know,” She said and knocked on the door. She had forgotten her key that morning. “Mom won’t bite, and just because Dad has a gun doesn’t mean I’ll let him shoot you.”

 

“That’s not exactly reassuring.”

 

“It wasn’t meant to be.”

 

At that moment, the door to the Morales apartment opened and a smiling woman appeared. She had a kind face framed with the same unbrushed curly hair as MJ, although her’s was much darker. Her caramel eyes sparkled as they swept over the couple. The tacky sea green of hospital scrubs was an eyesore, but despite their subtle medicinal scent, there was the unmistakable scent of chili peppers and paprika that seemed almost homy when paired with the warm woman.

 

She enveloped Michelle in a hug, her smile never wavering but seeming contagious as Michelle’s face relaxed into her own carefree grin.

 

 _“Estás en casa, por fin! ¿Es este tu novio, mi amor?”_ She exclaimed, cradling MJ’s face before casting a glance at Peter and sending MJ a sly look. _“_ _El es lindo.”_

 

Michelle flushed, smacking the woman’s arm. “Mamá!”

 

Whatever was being said, Peter was at a loss. Instead, he smiled politely but gave his girlfriend a desperate look.

 

She sighed and rolled her eyes, gesturing to the woman in scrubs. “Peter, this is my mother, Rio Morales. Mamá, this is my boyfriend, Peter Parker.”

 

Rio smiled at Peter, a motherly look upon her face. _“Hola_ , Peter. Michelle has told Jeff and I so much about you- it is nice to finally meet you in person.”

 

Peter glanced at MJ, a little put-off by the fact of how… _cliché_ the whole scenario seemed to be. But at least MJ seemed to be getting a kick out of it.

 

His attention focused back on Michelle’s mother. “It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Morales, although I dread what she’s told you.” He caught another whiff of whatever she had been cooking. “Dinner smells delicious, by the way.”

 

Rio grinned and patted his shoulder, chuckling lightly. “Oh, not much, believe me. Michelle tends to keep the gossip close to her chest.” She moved to the side, and MJ strolled in, taking off her bag and kicking off her shoes. “And please, Peter, call me Rio.”

 

From further in the apartment, MJ snorted. “Don’t even try with him, Mamá, he’s too polite for informalities.”

 

Peter flushed under Rio’s amused gaze, but nodded his thanks as she waved him inside.

 

The apartment wasn’t much bigger than his and May’s, with a kitchen, a joined living-dining area, three bedrooms, and a bathroom. MJ was in the kitchen area, checking on the meal, and Rio guided Peter toward her, saying she’d be back in a moment.

 

With Rio’s departure, there was silence in the kitchen area as Michelle kept her back to Peter. A little anxious, Peter tapped his fingers against his jeans until MJ broke the uncomfortable silence with a quiet laugh.

 

“You’re doing fine, you know.”

 

“Really? Because this feels like the most cliché ‘meet-the-parents’ dinner in history.”

 

This got MJ to laugh again, and this time she turned to face him, her curly bangs falling into her face. Peter walked over, moving the bangs out of his view to see her now indifferent face.

 

“Just wait until you meet my dad, Parker,” She joked, poking his chest pointedly. “He’s the kind to give the Talk and everything.”

 

Peter sighed. “Great.”

 

“Really?” Michelle raised an eyebrow, her expression the definition of skepticism. “You can face down Liz’s dad no problem, but mine’s the problem?”

 

Peter gave her an unimpressed look. “Liz’s dad tried to kill me and I wasn’t even dating his daughter.”

 

“Well my dad isn’t a supervillain.”

 

“No, but he is a police officer with a gun.”

 

The couple smiled at each other at their shared teasing before crossing the distance between them, Michelle initiating the kiss and pulling up Peter’s chin. She was still the taller one in the relationship, and having a short boyfriend was a bit of a hassle when in public- especially since he tended to sneak kisses while defying gravity in one way or the other. But that made these kisses all the more sweet, and Michelle relished in them- not that she’d ever let Peter know that.

 

“Michelle Xiomara Jones-Morales!”

 

A male voice split them apart, Peter nearly jumping to the ceiling in surprise but was held down by MJ’s grasp on the front of his shirt and her hand on his arm. Her presence calmed him, helping him to take stock of what just happened and who had interrupted them.

 

A well-built and tall man stood between the kitchen and living area, Rio standing by his side in normal clothes, having ditched her scrubs and looking quite amused at the situation. He was wearing an NYPD uniform, glasses, and a stern expression that Peter had seen on Mr. Stark a lot- the angry and protective ‘dad’ face.

 

“Hi, Papá,” Michelle greeted, taking her dad’s shock and anger in stride. “This is Peter Parker, my boyfriend.” She elbowed Peter. “Peter, this is my dad, Jefferson Davis, although I don’t think he’s one who’ll fight being called ‘Mr. Davis’.”

 

“Damn right,” Jefferson said, glaring heatedly at Peter but shrinking back after Rio swatted his arm.

 

“Stop scaring the boy, _mi amor_.” Rio then approached Peter and gently pushed him toward Jefferson. “Be nice, Jeff, and let me and Michelle finish the meal.”

 

Jefferson didn’t seem to keen on that arrangement, Peter couldn’t help noticing- although neither was he. He cast MJ another desperate look but was just met with the rolling of eyes as she turned her back and left him at the mercy of her dad.

 

\---

 

They ended up in the living room, the kitchen well out of earshot, and Peter on the couch while Jefferson took up the recliner. The silence grew between them, and Jefferson’s contempt seemed to grow with it but Peter chose instead to focus on his surroundings- he didn’t do too well in stressful situations. The room itself wasn’t big, but it felt homely enough and the assortment of family photos adorning the TV stand and walls gave Peter a window into Michelle’s childhood.

 

Most of the pictures were obviously more recent: Michelle at Decathlon, Michelle at art contests, Michelle with people who were probably cousins, and… Michelle with a boy a few years her junior, in a frame labeled “siblings- the best kind of friends.”

 

Peter’s brow furrowed, trying to remember if MJ had ever mentioned having a sibling, but was drawing an utter blank. He glanced at Jefferson, trying to think of a way to bring it up, but the officer beat him to the punch.

 

“So, what are your intentions with my daughter, Mr. Parker?”

 

_Ah, there’s the cliché again._

 

“To keep her happy and be there for her as much as I can, sir,” Peter answered truthfully. “I would add protection to that list, but she would argue she’s fine on her own.”

 

Jefferson snorted. “You got that right. She’s always been a rebellious little thing, feisty since I can remember.”

 

Peter smiled weakly. “Yeah, she gives me hell for… a lot of things, really. But I guess I kind of deserve it.”

 

“Michelle can be like that,” Jefferson smiled tightly, nodding. “Rio does the same to me, as I’m sure you saw.” His face seemed to harden a bit after mentioning it.

 

“About that,” Peter started, his face blanching. “Mr. Davis, I’m sorry, I just-”

 

Jefferson waved a hand, shaking his head. “No apology needed. While I’ve never liked the idea of my daughter dating, I can get behind someone who truly cares about her.” He raised his eyes to meet Peter’s gaze. “And knowing her, someone who gets the privilege of kissing her deserves my respect.

 

“Peter, you clearly make her happy. I’ve only seen you with her for not even a minute, and I can already see how much she cares for you, and more importantly, how much you care for her. I know I gave you the ‘tough dad’ act out there, but you _are_ dating my daughter, and I will make sure she is loved and protected.” Here, Jefferson smiled and leaned forward, glancing behind Peter to make sure his wife and daughter didn’t hear. “Michelle deserves everything she wants, because God knows she’s been through hell- if you help her get that, then who am I to stay in the way of her happiness?”

 

Peter was frankly gobsmacked, staring at Jefferson with comedicly wide eyes and a shocked expression.

 

“Th-thank you, Mr. Davis.”

 

Jefferson waved him off. “Peter, as long as we’re in agreement that Michelle deserves her happiness, wherever that comes from, then I’m sure you and I won’t have a problem.”

 

\---

 

Dinner went surprisingly smooth.

 

Rio had cooked Puerto Rican chicken and rice, and had kept the conversation at the table light and joking when it threatened to derail into silence. The dialogue mostly hovered on Peter, and both him and MJ’s decathlon practices. When MJ brought up that he had an internship with Tony Stark, her parents seemed a bit impressed, although Jefferson resorted to an almost interrogation on the billionaire superhero’s actions.

 

But then it dissolved back into joking, and Peter, despite Jefferson giving him a few pointed looks, felt right at home with Michelle and her family.

 

After dinner was done, Michelle dragged Peter to her room and shut the door. Her room was just a little smaller than his, the walls a pale yellow but covered in drawings and poems. Her bed was pushed to one side, a laptop sitting on a black desk beside an overflowing closet filled with clothes and art supplies.

 

Michelle dropped face first onto her bed once she shut her door, leaving Peter smiling but then following suit, laying beside her and twirling her frizzy curls. They sat in companionable silence for a while, and Peter assumed MJ was just exhausted and mulling over the dinner conversation, but then the picture of her and the boy from the TV stand reappeared in his mind.

 

“MJ?”

 

“Mfff.” was the response, muffled by her hair and the huge Wonder Woman comforter atop her bed.

 

Peter chuckled, then poked her head. “Who was the boy in the picture on your TV stand?”

 

MJ tilted her head, looking up at him through her hair. “Which one, Spider Boy?”

 

“The one in the sibling frame.”

 

MJ seemed to instantly close in on herself, rolling onto her other side and facing the wall. “No one,” She said, her voice low and emotionless. “Just an old friend.”

 

Peter raised an eyebrow. “An old friend?” He parroted. “MJ, there’s-”

 

Suddenly, she sat up and glared at him, the picture of anger that made him pause mid-sentence.

 

“Peter, can you just let it go?” She asked, voice now loud but not so much as angry as… almost hurt.

 

Peter reached out a hand slowly, holding hers in his own, then met her fiery gaze. He knew Michelle kept a lot to herself, it was just part of who she was. But on the other side of that, Michelle had never really had anyone to confine in before himself and Ned, so when she got like this, defensive and nearly close to tears, Peter knew it had to be something big, and something she needed to feel comfortable enough to share.

 

“Do you remember when I told you that I was Spider-man?”

 

MJ’s breath seemed to hitch, and although the fire didn’t leave her eyes, it seemed to lessen.

 

“Peter,” She whispered quietly, searching his face. “What does that have to do with anything?”

 

“MJ, just answer the question,” He replied, a desperate note to his voice. “Please?”

Michelle blew out a breath, then rolled her eyes and grinned a little. “Okay,” She said, sitting up in a more comfortable position and tightening her grip on his hand. “Yes, I remember.”

 

“Do you remember how scared I was?” Peter asked, his own mind going back to that day. “Gargan had you, and you were cursing him,” Here they shared a smile. “And then he dropped you…” Peter’s smile dropped, remembering the terror he had had at seeing her fall off the bridge. She didn’t scream, he remembered. But she kept her eyes on him the whole time, reaching for his hand the second he was within arm’s length.

 

MJ took his other hand then, placing it upon her chest. Even though they both knew he could hear her heartbeat, it still helped for him to be able to tangibly feel the pulse- nothing had been the same since the bridge.

 

Peter took a breath, then continued. “I caught you, and swung you away. I made sure the police got Gargan and then offered to swing you home.”

 

“And even though I refused, you kidnapped me and brought me to the top of the Empire State Building,” She added, frowning at him but with noticeably relaxed shoulders and a shine in her eyes.

 

“Right,” He chuckled, remembering how she proceeded to cuss him out too. “But I held you, and made you feel safe, and then called you MJ-”

 

“And that’s when I knew, and we kissed, and I called you a loser,” She finished, nodding, but then looking at him in confusion. “But what does any of that have to do with the picture?”

 

“Because that was the first time we were ever fully comfortable with each other,” Peter explained, moving his hand from her heart to her face, cradling it. “Michelle, you trusted me to save your life that night, and I trusted you to become part of my life- both in the suit and out. I know you’ve never been the most open person in the world, and Thor knows you’re probably the most stubborn, but I want to be someone you can trust, someone who can be there for you no matter what.” Peter sighed, then kissed her forehead. “Someone who will always _love_ you, despite how much I don’t deserve you.”

 

Michelle stared for a moment, and just when Peter was starting to think he had screwed up by saying anything at all, she pursed her lips.

 

“Did you really just use Thor instead of God?”

Peter blinked. “I just told you I love you, and _that’s_ what you focus on?”

 

MJ leaned forward and pecked his lips before answering. “I love you too, loser.”

 

They shared a smile before MJ scooted closer to him, sighing lightly as her smile dropped.

 

“Okay,” She said, nodding as if to reassure herself. “So, the boy in the picture. He is my brother. His name is Miles, he’s thirteen and goes to Brooklyn Visions Academy.” A wistful smile was on her face now. “He does graffiti art and tags signs around BV, enough though it pisses Papá off. Our Uncle Aaron takes him down to the subway sometimes and teaches him new techniques, but Miles is brilliant enough on his own. We only see him on the weekends because he lives at BV during the week, so he’s not around much…”

 

MJ drifted off, and Peter took that as his opening.

 

“Why didn’t you tell anyone? I mean, it doesn’t sound like you’re ashamed of him or something…”

 

“No,” MJ stated instantly. “Never. It’s…” She sighed. “Papá, Jeff I mean, isn’t my real dad.”

 

Peter frowned. “So… you’re adopted?”

 

“He’s my step-dad,” MJ corrected. “Mamá married him and they had Miles, who’s biologically my half-brother but I’ve never thought of him that way. I’ve never been ashamed of him, Peter.”

 

MJ met his gaze with a sad grin. “My eighth grade year I had a girlfriend-”

 

“Girlfriend?”

 

MJ hit his arm harshly but also playfully. “You’ve seen my bookbag, you know I’m bi, same as you, you dork.”

 

Peter put up his hands and grinned, gesturing for her to continue.

 

“ _Anyway,_ me and her had been together for a year and a couple months when I decided to ask her for dinner at my house, to meet my brother and my parents, y’know? Well,” Michelle shrugged her shoulders, her face pinching in discomfort. “She came over, and she got curious about why Miles looks so much like our parents but I don’t look like Papá at all. It wasn’t something people tended to notice, but she was observant in that way. I trusted her and explained how my bio dad left for another woman when I was barely a year old. My mom struggled financially for a while because she was trying to get through med school, but she met Jeff a few months later. They married when I was two, and had Miles when I was three.”

 

“Wait, so why do you all have different last names?”

Her lips pursed again. “What do you mean?”

Peter started gesturing cutely with his hands. “Your dad is Davis, your mom is Morales, and yours is Jones!”

 

Michelle chuckled. “The Jones is from my bio dad’s mother. She helped us out after he left so I kept the name for her; she still comes over sometimes to help Mamá. I think Jeff’s is kind of self-explanatory, and Mamá’s is just her maiden name that she took on again after she remarried.”

 

“Oh,” Peter said dumbly. “Why the hyphen then?”

 

“Jones-Morales? Legally, that’s my full last name, even if I only use it had home,” She shook her head. “Back to my ex: so I told her everything I just told you, but she wasn’t accepting of it. She made fun of my so-called “broken family” and how Miles isn’t my real brother or some shit like that.” MJ shrugged. “I don’t know, we broke it off that night and I never spoke to her again, and I know it’s just a stupid snide comment but it hurt. That’s why I was so closed off before you and Ned- I was terrified of being hurt again. Even after you opened up to me about being Spider-man, I didn’t tell you about Miles because I didn’t want people to feel sorry that the sperm donor left and my brother is only half related to me.” She blew out a breath. “Like I said, it’s stupid-”

 

“It’s really not,” Peter interrupted, raising a hand to tease her hair, a calming motion for them both. “You were hurt by someone you trusted- I think anyone would have sheltered themself after something like that. Especially after having your family insulted… No one would have judged you for closing yourself off. And while I wish you had told me sooner, I get it, MJ, and will never hurt you like that.”

 

Peter leaned forward then, but MJ beat him to the punch, crashing their lips together in a brief but passionate kiss. It would have lasted longer, but the sudden knocking on her bedroom door surprised them both.

 

“Michelle?” Rio called through the door.

 

“Yeah, Mamá?” She called back, a little confused by Peter’s sudden anxious expression and frown.

 

“Your Papá had to run out on duty, some villain I think, but maybe Peter should go on home…?”

 

MJ looked back at Peter, a small grin on her face when she saw him already dressed in the suit sans the mask and smiling at her.

 

“Yeah, Mamá, he’s going back by the fire escape.”

 

There was a pause.

 

“Alright, well when you have a minute, come talk to me.”

 

“Okay!”

 

There was the sound of Rio walking back to the living room and MJ waited a moment before hopping off the bed to Peter. His bookbag was on his shoulders, although she had no idea when he had grabbed it, and he held his mask in his hands, her window propped open behind her.

 

“Who is it this time?” She asked, watching as he pulled the mask on- still a bizarre sight even after all these months.

 

“Electro,” Peter responded, his grin prominent even through the fabric. “He’s in Time Square.”

 

Michelle hummed, rubbing her arms from the chilly night air blowing through her window. “Be careful, Parker.”

 

“Aren’t I always?”

 

Her glare said enough, making him laugh and pull up the mask to kiss her temple.

 

“I’ll be fine, MJ. And I’ll look out for Mr. Davis too,” He said before pulling her window open fully and hopping onto the fire escape.

 

“You better,” She replied with a bittersweet smile, watching him effortlessly climb partway up the fire escape before shooting a web and swinging off into the night. Michelle sighed softly to herself, chuckling when she heard her boyfriend’s faint whoop of joy.

 

“Go get ‘em tiger.”


	2. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy. Shit. Y'ALL.  
> I'm like actually going to cry ohmygosh. 28 kudos and 210 hits on this shitty fanfic? I LOVE Y'ALL OMJ  
> I NEVER thought I'd get that high, let alone off just one chapter and four days!! That is so amazing, thank you guys so much.
> 
> Okay, now that that's out of the way--- this story is now finished in google docs with a total of 28 pages, which makes this the longest fanfiction I've ever written which is pretty fricking amazing. This also means that the next four chapters are ready to post, but I'm going to space them out a few days; although this part and the next are both kinda short so I'll probably end up posting part three tomorrow night or Saturday night, whichever I have time for.
> 
> And on that note, please enjoy this part!

“How’d that fight with Dillon go?”

 

“Flash, that was like two weeks ago what the f-”

 

“I’m just trying to make conversation, don’t get defensive!”

 

Peter shared a look with Ned and Betty who both just shrugged. The rest of the Decathlon team was practicing on stage with Mr. Harrington while the four of them were sitting in the wings, scrolling through their phones until Flash brought up Peter’s fight with Electro.

 

Rolling his eyes and then sighing, Peter pulled off his jacket to reveal the short sleeved shirt he was wearing. But that wasn’t what caught his friends attention.

 

Instead, their eyes drifted to Peter’s exposed arms that were covered in Lichtenberg Figures, like the branches of some ancient tree or the imperfect web of a crazed spider. The scars were pink instead of the angry red or orange they had been shown pictures of in science class, and Peter didn’t seem too concerned with being scarred for life.

 

“Peter, oh my gosh…” Betty whispered, leaning forward and raising a hand to touch the scars before freezing, realizing that they might be painful.

 

Flash seemed to have gone white, mouth agape in shock, while Ned grimaced but just nodded at Peter, realizing why he was so nonchalant about it.

 

“They don’t hurt,” Peter told Betty, nodding to her hand. “Not anymore, at least.”

 

Betty touched the pink branches gently, still cautious despite Peter’s assurances. They were raised on his skin, although not as severe as a scar might have been, but almost seemed to f-

 

Betty raised her head suddenly, anger clear on her face. “You asshole! You knew they weren’t permanent!”

 

Peter started laughing, falling into near hysterics after Betty hit him with what was probably all her strength (although Peter barely felt it). Ned followed suit, not really caring when Betty turned back to him and smacked him upside the head. Flash, meanwhile, just seemed really confused.

 

“What? What is she talking about?”

 

Peter snorted and extended an arm to Flash, trying to stifle his laughter. Flash narrowed his eyes, looking at the faint scars.

 

“Little known fact about Spider-man,” Ned piped up through his laughter. “He’s got a healing factor.”

 

Sure enough, the scars had been slowly fading ever since Peter’s fight with Electro, and before Flash’s eyes appeared to get ever so fainter.  
  
“How the fu-”

 

_“Then you’re left in the dust_

_Unless I stuck by ya_

_You’re a sunflower_

_I think your love would be too much”_

 

The lyrics cut off Flash’s words and made everyone’s eyes flash to the source of the ringtone: Michelle.

 

Seemingly unfazed, she answered the call with a typical Michelle greeting before her eyes widened at whatever the person on the other end was saying.

 

“What? Unc- Slow- _Uncle Aaron slow the hell down_ ,” She paused, sighed, and walked off the stage to grab her bag. “I’ll be there in a few minutes, alright? Papá won’t be upset, okay? Is he okay? Yeah- yeah, I’m on my way. Okay. Okay, see you soon.”

 

MJ hung up and ignored everyone’s gaze, simply shrugging in Mr. Harrington’s direction.

 

“Sorry, I’ve gotta go pick someone up. I completely forgot.” She nodded to everyone else before walking over to Peter.

 

Frowning, she placed a placid hand delicately on the Lichtenbergs and shook her head. Raising her head, she pecked his lips and grinned.

 

“You may be an idiot, but you’re my idiot,” MJ said affectionately, a rarity when the couple wasn’t alone. “I need to go pick up Miles from our Uncle’s, he got sick or something and Aaron is freaking out. So don’t be too stupid, Parker.”

 

With that, Michelle walked out of the auditorium leaving behind a group of dumbfounded students and one giddy superhero.

 

Then Flash broke the silence again, speaking the one thought everyone had in mind.

 

“Who the hell is Miles?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Lichtenberg Figures is actually the name given to the scars that develop as a result of lightning strikes. Given that one of his villains is the living embodiment of electricity, I think it's safe to assume Peter has suffered through several instances with Lichtenberg Figures.
> 
> Another thing: I do have a sort of one shot sequel planned, and am currently five pages into writing it, but how many of y'all would be interested in a "prequel" addressing the thread I left open without explanation in the first part? That is, the circumstances surrounding the decathlon team's discovery of Peter's identity via Michelle. Some feedback would be much appreciated, and please let me know how this chapter turned out! :D
> 
> Also, I wonder how many of you guys noticed the updated tags. Spider-man video game 2018? Scarlet spider? Mac Gargan?  
> *laughs evilly* Only two of those inquiries will be addressed, but maybe y'all can take a guess as to the other.


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'ALL-  
> 620 hits and 78 kudos.  
> I'm so happy holy crap, y'all have absolutely made my week! :D And you guys' comments are all so sweet, and always manage to put a smile on my face- even when I'm in the middle of chemistry and am internally dying while learning about nomenclature and polyatomic ions.  
> Anywho, this isn't my favorite chapter but it advances the plot and blatantly foreshadows wtf is going on with Miles so hopefully y'all enjoy.

Peter didn’t hear from Michelle at all that weekend, and he was rightfully a little concerned. He could have just swung by her apartment of course, but he felt like that was kind of wrong (plus her dad had a gun so, yeah).

 

Then she was absent Monday, leaving both him and Ned alone at lunch.

 

“You think she’s sick?”

 

Peter shook his head. “She would’ve said something. I’m starting to wonder if something’s wrong with Miles.”

 

Ned looked at him over his sandwich, taking a bite before responding. “Her brother?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I dunno, maybe.” He paused. “Still can’t believe she never said anything.”

 

Peter glared at Ned. “You know why she never told us.”

 

“I know, I know, but still!” Ned gestured to Peter with a fry. “Just seems like the two of you would get along is all.”

 

Peter raised an eyebrow, but any response to that was put on pause when Michelle plopped down beside him, laying her head upon his shoulder. Frozen, neither boy moved as they shared a look until MJ mumbled something that Peter could only just make out.

“What’s wrong, MJ?”

 

She groaned and repeated her words as she raised her head, blowing her hair out of her face.

 

“Miles was sick all weekend.”

 

Ned raised his eyebrows. “Really? Was it the stomach virus? That’s been going around, y’know.”

 

MJ sent him an annoyed look. “The stomach flu has been going around since kindergarten, Ned. Besides, it wasn’t that.” She shook her head, her expression almost looking concerned. “He passed out at Uncle Aaron’s, and when I brought him home he woke up and puked off and on for a few hours. Then Mamá came home and he kept getting a fever and chills but she wasn’t able to diagnose anything.” She shrugged her shoulders and looked at both boys. “And then he woke up this morning and was fine. Whatever it was, it had the symptoms of full-on influenza but was gone within forty-eight hours. It was weird.”

 

Peter sent Ned a confused look that mirrored the other boy’s to a tee.

 

Michelle leaned over to Ned’s plate and stole a few fries, a thoughtful look on her face as she ate one. Then she narrowed her eyes and frowned, gesturing at Peter with the remaining couple, as if she had realized something important.

 

“Y’know, it was kinda like how you were last year… after the Connors Industries field trip.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I also mention this part is really short? Sorry about that.  
> Also: I know I cut it at a weird time too, and that little revelation kinda leaves stuff hanging but I felt it fit better to just leave it at that. (If you guys are really curious, both Peter and Ned just kind of blow it off even though MJ remains skeptical and continues stealing their fries.)  
> Plus!!!! That Spidey Villain reference at the end!! Yeah, I know it's at Oscorp in the comics but since Oscorp supposedly doesn't exist in the MCU (at the moment anyway) I figured why not have a lower level development facility for the school children to go to? Something that a high school can afford but still have reason for making genetically altered spiders that create enhanced teenage superheroes.  
> Next chapter should be posted sometime this weekend, but that all depends on homework and if I'll have time but until then, please comment! Comments drive me to post chapters quicker! (Not really, but they encourage me at any rate)


	4. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 132 kudos and 1045 hits.
> 
> Holy. Shit.
> 
> I... I don't even know what to say to that oh my gosh. You guys just keep making my week!! And this fic is only just now over halfway done! That's insane!  
> I'm so glad y'all enjoy this story so far and can't wait to see y'all's reactions to this chapter and the next! Also, I know I'm posting late but there was nothing I could do about that seeing as my AP english teacher decided to shoulder me with a project on representation (which I'm doing on Afro-Latinos so eyyy Miles as the star!) and my ASL 2 teacher gave me a project to do as well- neither of which have a due date so I've been stressin long story short.  
> Oof enough about me- hope y'all like this part!! Just one more before the big finale!!!

“Mr. Stark?”

 

A pause.

 

“Mr. Stark, are you here? Ms. Potts said-”

 

_ CRASH _

 

_ “Shit!” _

 

Peter winced at the loud sound of what seemed like metal falling onto tile, followed by the resounding curse. Shaking off the sudden concussion of sound, he hurried further into Tony’s workshop only to start chuckling at the sight before him.

 

“It’s not funny, kid.”

 

“It kind of is, Mr. Stark.”

 

Tony’s glare rivaled the ones Ben used to give him, but was nowhere close to the level of one of May’s or Pepper’s.

 

“Just help me up and stop laughing.”

 

Peter smiled and leaned against the nearest table, looking down at his mentor in amusement. It seemed Tony had been working on a new kind of Iron Man armor, but the metal frame used to hold the armor had seemingly broken, allowing the armor to then fall and crash onto Tony, leaving him pinned.

 

The billionaire didn’t find it as amusing as his adopted son did.

 

“I wonder what Pepper would do if I-”

 

“Peter!”

 

“Okay, okay,” Peter replied, still laughing at the ire on Tony’s face. He walked over and effortlessly propped up the armor enough to let Tony scoot out before letting it fall back to the floor.

 

“I assume that was what I was needed for?”

 

“Ha ha,” Tony huffed exaggeratedly as he stood up and dusted his hands off shortly. “Very funny, Pete, but no.”

 

Tony grabbed Peter by his shoulders, pulling him over to the monitors with a vague sense of urgency before grabbing one of those gross protein shakes that populated the workshop. He gestured to the blank screens, which lit up at the motion.

 

“This is.”

 

Peter watched, eyes growing wider by the second as the monitors each played a different YouTube video, each focusing in on a small, lithe figure. The videos played on loop: one was of the figure jumping off a building, only to  _ stick to the building across the street _ , another showed the figure hopping in frame, saving an old woman and her grandchild from being hit by a speeding truck, while yet another was showing the figure waving to a woman they had just helped only to run off, climbing another building, and out of sight.

 

It gave Peter a serious wave of deja vu.

 

Somewhat nauseous, he turned to look at Tony. The man met his gaze, sipping his protein shake with a calm and collected air around him.

 

“How old are these videos?”

 

Tony raised an eyebrow. “The oldest?” He pointed to the one of the figure jumping. “About a month. The newest?” He pointed to another, one of the figure clumsily taking down a group of thugs with a familiar set of moves. “Got posted last night.”

 

Peter ran a hand down his face, drew in a breath, then sighed. “And you called me here why?”

 

Tony gave him an unimpressed look.

 

“Okay, fair, yeah,” Peter shook his head. “But why didn’t you just hunt the kid down? Like you did with me?”   
  
Tony set down his shake and sighed. “If I could do that, I would have already done it and me and you would be having a very different conversation. But I can’t, because there is nothing I can find on him.”

 

Peter looked perplexed. “What do you mean?”

 

“With you, I could track where you went by CCTV footage compiled by FRIDAY. With this kid…” Tony shook his head and suddenly looked very tired and very much his age. “FRIDAY can’t get a bead on where he comes from, or where he goes; it’s like he knows exactly where to go to avoid every camera in the area.”

 

“Like he disappears…” Peter muttered thoughtfully, gazing at the blurry figure with a frown.

 

Tony snorted. “If that  _ is  _ the case, I’m glad that power skipped you. You scare the shit out of me enough just by sleeping on the ceiling.”

 

Peter just rolled his eyes fondly before narrowing them. “Hey, FRI?”

 

“Yes, Mr. Parker?”

 

“Enhance monitor four and enlarge the image, please.”

 

Silently, FRIDAY complied and the two men watched as the video of the figure facing the street and sticking to the wall, obviously taken without his knowledge, was projected as a hologram before them. The pixelized CCTV picture was enhanced, and FRIDAY focused in on the figure.

 

Looking more lithe and small in high definition than he had before, the figure was dressed in an obviously store-bought Spider-man Halloween costume, covered partly by a blue hoodie with a spray-painted red spider on the front done up in graffiti style, accompanied with a pair of red and black Air Jordans. The mask loosely matched the Halloween costume and the lenses of the eyes barely showed the kid’s eyes through two holes, presumably done so children would be able to see out of the material.

 

“Oof,” Tony muttered. “He’s more hodgepodge than you were, kid.”

 

“At least he looks the part.”   
  


“You invented the part.”

 

“Touch é.”  Peter replied, huffing a laugh, glancing at Tony. “So what happens now?”

 

Tony grinned in reply, moving to stand beside Peter once more.

 

“Now, you’re no longer alone, Pete.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... scene!  
> I hope I did alright with Tony, this was the first scene I ever wrote with his character let alone in an Iron Dad moment.  
> Finally a visual appearance by Miles as well! I based his appearance off his movie, comic, and pre-suit movie looks but this is not his final look by any stretch- I have his suit sketched and colored and I'll post it with the sequel to this... someday.
> 
> I will update on Saturday most likely but I won't specify an actual set date so I don't fool you guys again! Next part: MJ and Peter eat larb and go out on a date written by a girl who's had two girlfriends but has never been on any kind of date!
> 
> (Anyone pick up on any other influences on Miles' look in this canon? There's quite a few alternate suits blended into his. Leave a comment with any thoughts!)


	5. 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I say this every chapter but holy shit guys. 215 kudos and over 1900 hits! Just,,,, wow.  
> Thank you so much!! It makes me so happy to see my story getting so much love- and to see y'all's kind comments! Absolutely make my week, i stg.
> 
> But moving on,,,, sorry this chapter took a bit longer [but I did update on a Saturday ;)] but it's finally here and thus only one part remains!  
> Hope y'all enjoy! Please comment on how I did!

Three months after he and Tony had started working together to find the new Spider, and Peter was no closer to meeting the kid than when they had started. New videos poured in every day, and Peter winced every time he saw the kid get injured or fall off a building- even if he landed without injury.

 

It was painfully obvious the kid had no idea what he was doing, and he was still having issues with his powers for at least four months after they had manifested.

 

“Hey, Spider-boy,” MJ’s voice broke him out of his stupor. “You awake in there?”

 

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Peter responded, noticing her look at him from across the table with a semi-bemused grin on her face. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

 

She raised an eyebrow at him, crossing her arms across her chest. “Oh, really? Because you’ve been out of it long enough that the waiter has come by with our drinks and I already placed both of our orders- that larb that you and May keep fawning over.”

 

“I’m fine, MJ, really,” Peter grinned a little, meeting her amused but concerned eyes. “Just have a lot on my mind is all.”

 

Michelle hummed, clearly not believing his bullshit, but taking it in stride.

 

“Miles came home for Spring Break,” She stated, stirring the straw in her water.

 

“You sound…” Peter searched for the word for a moment, much to MJ’s private amusement. “Neutral.”

 

“Neutral?”

 

“I’m tired, cut me some slack.”

 

“Okay,” She agreed, although the look on her face said they’d be discussing his sleep schedule at a later date. “Honestly, Peter, I’m the exact opposite of neutral about the whole thing.”

 

“What happened? Did he get in trouble at school?”

 

Michelle smiled at the genuine concern in his voice. “No, but Papá is pissed at him. Apparently Miles has been skipping class a lot in the past couple months, but him and his roommate won’t say why. We all thought he’d just been going through a phase or something, or maybe he’d just been missing home so he was acting out to go back to his old school but…” MJ sighed, her smile fading. “Out of the eleven days he spent at home, I only saw him maybe a few hours. He spends all day in his room and has been acting… weird.”

 

Peter opened his mouth, but paused when their food arrived. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Peter gained the nerve to speak up.

 

“Isn’t it kind of normal for a teenage boy to spend all day in his room?”

 

Michelle sighed, her chopsticks falling loose in her hand. “You would think, but not with Miles. He’s always been such a light to be around and yeah, he has his moods where he hates everyone, but it never lasted this long. Besides, even in those days his door was always open but it’s never even unlocked these days.”

 

Peter took a bite of larb and swallowed, his eyebrows furrowed. “That what you mean by ‘acting weird’?”

 

“Yes,” Michelle admitted hesitantly before looking at Peter cautiously. “But there are… other things.”

 

“‘Other things’?”

 

“He’s… jumpy all the time now. Any little thing can and will set him off- it’s to the point that he won’t even blast his music anymore.” MJ took another bite before meeting his gaze again. “He _always_ blared his music, Peter, and now he won’t even talk to us anymore.” She seemed to slump in her seat. “He’s irritable a lot, and when I do see him, he’s so nervous and angsty and I know Mamá and Papá are trying, but I don’t know…”

 

Peter reached a hand out and grasped her hand, squeezing it gently. She sent him a grateful smile before shaking her head, letting out a watery chuckle.

 

“I’m sorry, I know I’m dragging down our date but-”

 

“No, no,” Peter responded, just glad Michelle was finally comfortable enough to show so much emotion. “You’re fine. Besides, he’s your brother- I’d be worried if you _weren’t_ in ‘overprotective sister mode’.”

 

That got her to smile.

 

“So I’m the overprotective sister now?”

 

Peter put up his hands, dropping hers lightly. “Hey, we’ve all been that person- hell, I have to protect May all the time from strange men.”

 

Michelle tucked a stray curl behind her ear, smirking. “Spider-boy, I don’t think that’s the same thing as keeping my brother out of trouble while he finds a perfect spot for his graffiti.”

 

“Maybe not but-”

 

Peter’s words died in his throat, a memory coming back to him.

 

“Did you say graffiti?”

 

“Yeah…?” Michelle raised a brow, speaking slowly as she watched her boyfriend’s expression shift into one of sudden understanding laced with underlying fear… and maybe even excitement. “Peter, you already knew Miles did graffiti; I told you that months ago.”

 

Peter didn’t answer, his thoughts lost to the image that Tony had shown him three months prior: a lithe figure with a black hoodie adorned with a red spider spray-painted upon it in graffiti style.

 

“Peter?”

 

Blinking, Peter let out a breath when Michelle came clearly back into his sight, her face drawn into only slightly veiled concern.

 

“I think I know what’s wrong with Miles.”

 

“What?”

 

Peter slipped a hand into his pocket, digging out his phone and searching for the image from monitor four. Pulling it up, he slid it over to Michelle whose eyes suddenly widened at the picture. She picked up the phone, not looking at Peter for what felt like an eternity.

 

“Where is this from?”  


“Tony showed me it three months ago,” Peter explained softly. “Videos have been circling for at least four. He’s been saving people and has even caught a few convicts.”

 

Michelle seemed to deflate even as her grip tightened on his phone, sighing.

 

“I got him that costume last year,” She admitted quietly, a bittersweet smile on her face as she looked at Peter. “He’s idolized you since the DC trip, you know. Wouldn’t shut up about how cool it was, so I got him it for his last year of trick-or-treating.” She shook her head. “Of course he’d get powers and make his own outfit.”

 

Peter grinned a little. “Are you going to stop him?”  


Michelle scoffed, handing Peter’s phone back to him. “Miles is as stubborn as you, Spider-boy; I couldn’t even if I tried. But that won’t stop me from giving him hell for going out in a twenty dollar flimsy-ass costume and a hoodie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that! I think you guys know what's coming next chapter, and hopefully it won't disappoint especially since it's just over eight pages lol.  
> I hope I'm doing alright with MJ's characterization- i think ive said this before but I have such a hard time making my characters feel as real as I want... /hopefully/ this turned out ok. (this is a particularly difficult problem when trying to write Miles since how I write him does not feel like how he acts and talks in ITSV which.... kinda sux cause that's THE BEST iteration of Miles so far).
> 
> One last note, unrelated to this fic: I wrote a fanfiction taking place post-Endgame about Tony and Peter reuniting if anyone wants to read it? Im probably gonna post it anyway, but I was hoping to gauge interest beforehand (also, that may sound like a fluffy fic but,,, well yall will just have to read it and see).
> 
> I KNOW I SAID LAST NOTE BUT: I probably wont have time to update this until Endgame comes out, since that week is supposed to be my spring break. I know ill have plenty of time without school stress, so I might see yall before then but worst case, see you guys in a month!! XD


	6. +1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....how bout those endgame trailers  
> \--  
> but srsly tho im sorry this took a while but i wanted to get it out before Endgame so here yall go- hope you enjoy the last part!! the response to this fic has been overwhelming and I cant wait to read yall's comments!!
> 
> also there're a lot of references to other Spidey media in here see if yall can catch them

A week passes, enough time for another video to surface of Miles, this time saving a pair of twins from being kidnapped. Michelle doesn’t breathe a word of her brother’s identity to their parents, instead trying to cover her brother’s tracks better on Saturday night and Sunday.

 

“He’s an idiot.”

 

“MJ, he-”  


“If I wanted to, I could expose him to Mamá and Papá and that’d be the end for him! He makes it so goddamn easy, Peter!”

 

“MJ, he’s younger than I was, he’s going to make mistakes and-”

 

“And those mistakes may get him killed!” She replied earnestly, and Peter can almost _hear_ her frustrated frown through the comm link.

 

With a sigh, he landed atop a building in Brooklyn, waving at a few passersby who call up to him.

 

“Well, he needs training Michelle,” Peter replied, jumping off the building and launching into a swing, the exertion of his body becoming audible through his voice. “Maybe you can confront him this weekend about it.”

 

Michelle sighed into the link. “I guess, but he’s a little shit and has been avoiding me all his life; he knows ways around me and our parents.” There’s a rustle through the line. “Besides, now I know he can just jump through the window and climb away so _that’s_ great.”

 

Peter hummed in response, swinging down low and dropping onto a wall and into a crouch. “I’ve been doing that since I saved you from Gargan, so honestly I wouldn’t be surprised.”

 

“Ha, ha, Parker. I-”

 

“Gah!” Peter’s head jerked up at the sudden buzz at the nape of his neck and irregular sense of _danger_ and _wrong_ , looking around for the source.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Spider sense is tingling.”  


“That is literally the dumbest name, and catchphrase I might add.”

 

Peter smirked under the mask before catching a glimpse of smoke and the faint sound of sirens in the distance. Groaning, he swung off toward the chaos.

 

“Well, Ned was the one who came up with it so take it up with him.”

 

“Leeds gets enough shit from Betty.”

 

“True.” Peter replied, closing in on his destination. “Hey, there’s a disturbance on Bay Parkway, can you-”

 

“Bay?” Michelle’s voice comes through the link shaky.

 

“Yeah?” Peter replied, just feet away from the parked police cars. “What’s- oh shit.”

 

His eyes landed on the sign of the large building on Bay, his lenses widening as Michelle confirms his dread through the link.

 

“Brooklyn Visions.”

 

\---

 

Peter could not resist rolling his eyes and groaning in annoyance once he saw who had attacked the school. For whatever freaking reason, Scorpion had decided to wreak havoc and was shooting poison at the police officers trying to contain the scene and protect the evacuating students and faculty.

 

“Hey, Gargan!” Peter shouted, landing atop the nearest police car. “You go from tossing people off bridges to attacking a school, what’s up with that?”

 

Scorpion growled at the teen, poison dripping from his stinger and the sunlight glinting wickedly off his green suit.  
  
“Spider-man,” He spat viciously. “How kind of you to finally join us.”

 

Spider-man shrugged. “Well, school isn’t out yet, figured I should see what the early out was for.”

 

“Nice one.” MJ said dryly into the comm.

 

Scorpion hissed, a few shots of poison launching toward Peter. The agile teen dodged each one with ease, flipping around to land in front of the villain and inciting a deadly dance. Punches were thrown and dodged, webs met their mark, and poison ate away at the structure that was Brooklyn Visions.

 

Somehow during the confrontation, the pair ended up inside the building to find a few stray students still huddled in classrooms. Peter risked a broken bone and a concussion sending them out to safety, but it was worth it- even after he inevitably broke his wrist knocking Scorpion unconscious.

 

Panting, he knelt in the midst of what had been a classroom just two hours prior, and listened to MJ update him on the students.

 

“Seems like everyone is accounted for,” She said worriedly. “You didn’t happen to see Miles, did you?”

 

“Michelle, I don’t know if you noticed but I was kind of busy,” Peter retorted but shook his head. “But no, I don’t think so. I don’t- shit.”

 

Peter’s spider sense lit up as he spied a kid huddled a few feet away, watching him with wide and stunned eyes. The roof was barely holding onto its foundation above the kid’s head and Peter moved faster than he had ever before when it began falling, not even registering when the kid started to move as well, unconsciously sensing the falling material.

 

Peter held the kid in his arms, bridal style, and landed a few feet away from the roof that had nearly caught them under its weight. The dust settled, and Peter could hear the kid’s frantic breath pounding in his ears as he placed the kid down, moving a few inches away to make sure the kid was unharmed.

 

“Hey, kid,” He said breathlessly, smiling under his mask as the student looked up at him in shock. “You know your shoes are untied?”

 

Mechanically, the student nodded. “Uh huh.”

 

“Cause, y’know, this is a onesie so I don’t really have to worry about that.”

 

A sudden tingling at the nape of his neck rung in Peter’s ears, making him wince and fight against the foreign feeling. It didn’t feel like the normal tingling, when it alerted him to danger, but instead seemed almost like a warm buzzing. And most bizarre enough, the teen before him seemed to be having the same response… although that was impossible.

 

Then Peter’s eyes widened, his lenses whirring in response as they shifted to accompany the motion. _No way…_

 

“You’re like me,” Peter stated, his awe seeping into his voice. _So this is Miles._

 

“Uh, uhm,” Miles mumbled, his tongue not working in his mouth. “Y-yeah, I guess.”

 

Peter smiled, even if Miles couldn’t see it. “You’re gonna be fine, kid. I’ve seen you online, you do good work.”

 

Miles seemed to brighten. “R-really?”

 

“Better than I did when I had first started, at any rate,” Peter responded before freezing, the faint sound of rubble being kicked and moved piercing his senses. “EMS are coming, I’ve gotta go. But I’ll see you around, kid, okay?”

 

Peter stood, his smile never wavering as Miles watched him silently swing away. He landed on a building across the street, almost euphoric as he witnessed Miles being led out of the school and to the group of evacuated students.

 

“Hey, MJ, did you get all that?”

 

“Yeah, Spider-boy, I got it,” Came the response, sounding a little miffed. “Mamá and Papá aren’t going to be home for a while, but Miles is probably going to be dropped off by our Uncle in a bit.”

 

“You thinking what I’m thinking?”

 

“If you promise to never use that phrase again, yes.”

 

\---

 

Peter arrived at the Morales apartment ten minutes later, landing on the fire escape outside Michelle’s window. He slid it up quietly, and closed it behind him as he landed in his girlfriend’s room.

 

“Took you long enough,” Michelle said as she walked into the room.

 

“I got here in record time, thank you,” Peter retorted with a grin as he yanked off his mask.

 

Michelle smiled in return, moving forward to ruffle his messy curly hair. She pecked his lips briefly and then flicked his forehead.

 

“Ow! MJ, what the hell?”

 

“That’s for being a smart ass,” She replied.

 

Peter just stared at her, blinking, while MJ gestured for him to follow her into the living room. He followed, and saw that she had her comm link sitting on the front table beside her dark laptop, and Miles’ “suit” was folded up on the couch.

 

“Where was it at?” He asked, confused as to why Miles hadn’t had it with him at school.

 

“In the back of his closet,” Michelle said dryly, rolling her eyes. “Idiot couldn’t even find a good place to hide it, but I think he just forgot it Sunday. I’m surprised he didn’t come back for it, though.”

 

Peter hummed, looking at the hodgepodge outfit. “Probably has a lot on his mind is all. Besides, he doesn’t have a way to swing back and get it at night anyway.”

 

“True.”

 

There was a pause. MJ sat on the couch, picking up the costume while Peter took a seat beside her.

 

“You’re worried for him,” Peter stated. “Aren’t you?”  


MJ sighed, a heavy sound that seemed to weigh down the room. “Is it that obvious?”

 

“MJ, he’s going to be okay.”

 

“How do you know?” She replied, her gaze moving from the suit grasped in her hands to her boyfriend. “Peter, that’s my little brother out there. Putting himself in danger. How am I supposed to know that he’ll be okay? That he’ll come home?”  


“Because he’s going to go through the same shit I did when I first started, and I’ll be there for him,” Peter said, voice soft as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. They were tense but relaxed slightly at his touch. “And he’ll have you to yell at him for being stupid just like you do for me.”  


MJ’s mouth tugged into a slight smile at the thought before something else put a shadow on her face.

 

“He shouldn’t have to,” She murmured. “You two shouldn’t have to go out there and deal with dicks like Gargan every damn day without anything in return.”

 

“Yeah,” Peter agreed, moving a hand to cup her face. MJ leaned into his touch, ignoring the weird fabric of the suit. “But it’s rewarding in its own way, and Miles will figure that out with time. Just like I did. Besides, he won’t be alone like I was before Tony. Me, you, Ned, Tony, hell, Miles probably told his roommate if the horrible excuses are any inclination. We’re going to be there for him, and if it does get too much, like I said we can just set you on him to take none of his bullshit.”

 

Michelle laughed. “You’re a sappy loser.”

 

“Yeah, but I’m your loser.”

 

MJ groaned and pushed him away as they both laughed, the negative emotions drifting away as her worries were pushed aside and relieved.

 

“Thanks, Spider-boy,” She said before eyeing Peter, still dressed in the suit minus the mask. “Although you should probably change before Miles gets home.”

 

\---

 

It was an hour later when Aaron dropped off Miles at the apartment.

 

Rio and Jefferson weren’t going to be home until that night, so MJ and Peter were still sitting on the couch when Miles walked in the door.

 

His BV issued uniform was dusted with dirt and miniscule debris and there were the faint, healing remains of a few cuts and bruises upon his face. Otherwise, Miles seemed unharmed, carrying his two weekend bags in one hand, not seeming to notice Peter or MJ.

 

“Hey, _hermanito_ ,” MJ piped up after a moment, smirking when Miles startled and whipped his head around to her exact location.

 

“Oh, uh, hey Michelle,” Miles replied, dropping his bags by the door and walking toward the couch. His gaze fell on Peter, now dressed in jeans and a graphic tee reading ‘lettuce the taste of sadness.’ “Who are you?”

 

Peter grinned, his spider sense faintly buzzing in Miles’ presence as it registered him. “Peter Parker.”

 

Miles’ eyes widened ever so slightly. “Oh, you’re her boyfriend.”

 

“Simply put, yeah,” MJ stated, catching her brother’s attention once more. She held up the suit in one hand and watched as his expression dropped. “But more importantly, you’ve been keeping secrets.”

 

“What, no?” Miles said, pointedly looking everywhere but at his sister. “I don’t know what that is, never seen it before in my life.”

 

“Miles, you went trick-or-treating in it last year.”

 

“Must’ve been a different brother.”  


Michelle looked at him with a completely deadpan expression and saw his resolve crumble; no one could stay standing under Michelle’s gaze.

 

“Okay, fine, yes! It’s mine!” Miles exclaimed, walking forward to snatch it back. “How’d you even find it anyway?”

 

“Shoving a secret identity in the closet isn’t the best idea you’ve ever had.”

 

Miles sighed, throwing his head back in exasperation, eyes flicking to Peter again. “Why’s he here?”

 

“I work with Tony Stark,” Peter replied truthfully, chuckling when Miles went shock still. “He contacted me about a new Spider, unrelated to Spider-man himself, and wanted me to find him. Come to find out, just a few clues led me to you.”

 

Miles groaned, wiping a hand down his face. “So what now? Iron Man is going to come beating down our door?”

 

Michelle rolled her eyes. “Stark wouldn’t dare. Besides, me and Peter want to help you, Miles. But we can only do that if you tell us how it happened.”

 

Miles took a seat in Jefferson’s recliner, looking between the couple. “My powers?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I was bitten by a spider.”

 

“A spider?” Peter asked, curious.

 

“Yeah,” Miles said sheepishly, not meeting either of their gazes. “Uncle Aaron took me to his place a few months ago and it happened when we went out to the subway and did some graffiti. I don’t know where the spider came from or why it was there, but one minute I was fine and the next…” Miles cringed. “I was basically having a seizure, and I’m pretty sure that’s when Uncle Aaron called you. I was sick for a few days after, but then I was fine.”  
  
Peter and Michelle shared a significant look before gesturing for him to continue.

 

“After that, weird stuff started happening. I was a lot more sensitive than before, and stronger too. I could run faster, and sense things before they happened.” Miles shook his head. “I was terrified. I didn’t understand, and I didn’t want to hurt anyone. That’s why I became so closed off, Michelle. I was afraid of accidentally hurting you or Mamá or Dad.”

 

MJ sighed, hesitant with her words. “You could have just told us what was going on.”

 

Beside her, Peter shook his head. “No, he was afraid of what could happen if he did. So he hid it, in hopes of sheltering the pain, didn’t you?”  
  
Miles nodded his head in confirmation, playing with his hands. “Peter’s right. I didn’t know how to address it, and it took me weeks to get just basic control. Once I did, Ganke accidentally figured it out when I got stuck to the ceiling and couldn’t come down- don’t… don’t ask.”

 

Both Peter and MJ were smiling at his admission, causing some of Miles’ hesitant ticks to dissolve as his own lips tugged into a grin.

 

“Ganke was the one who convinced me to go out in a costume. He said I should become the “Spider-man of Brooklyn” or something like that.” Miles rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “It spun off from there, and I made the costume into my own thing. I didn’t really want to go out there and fight but I’ve always wanted to help out. And… and if my powers help me do that then-”

 

“Then why shouldn’t you,” Michelle finished.

 

“Yeah,” Miles said with a smile. He looked down at the suit on his lap. “I didn’t want to hide it, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

 

Silence fell after that, and it was a little uncomfortable, what with Miles fidgeting, Peter unsure of what to say, and Michelle in deep thought.

 

But it didn’t last long.

 

“So what can you do?” MJ asked, standing up and moving to look her brother in the eye, her arms crossed over her chest. “Everything the actual Spidey can do?”

 

“Uhm, yeah, I think so,” Miles said, looking up at MJ with a huge sense of relief. “I… I should probably just, uh, yeah…”

 

Miles stood up from the recliner, glancing at MJ then Peter before leaping upward and twisting, landing in a crouched position upside down on the ceiling above. It was a smooth, graceful movement, even if Miles didn’t seem entirely at ease with his footing. His lips were tugged into a nervous grin, anxiously awaiting his sister’s reaction.

 

“It’s… pretty weird, right?”

 

Michelle seemed way too nonchalant in Miles’ opinion, staring at her boyfriend with the same indifferent gaze. Peter, on the other hand, was positively _beaming,_ his smile awed as his head craned back to observe Miles.

 

Miles watched with wide eyes, awed beyond belief and his smile mirroring Peter’s, as the older teen leapt up to the ceiling as well. His motions were much more practiced than Miles were, and his footing much more solid and comfortable as well. Peter hung his head back and met Miles’ eyes, humor sparkling in them.

 

“Not that weird.”

 

The two boys started laughing in joy after that, while Michelle gazed up at them from her spot on terra firma. Her arms were still crossed, and she had rolled her eyes after Peter’s sentiment, but a smile teased her stubborn lips as she watched them.

 

“Losers."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's all folks! (im allowed to say that, right? legally?)
> 
> anywho--- i really hope you guys enjoyed, because i really enjoyed seeing how you all reacted to this fic and all its lil quirks along the way. i have the next two fics in the series WIP but i honestly have no idea when they're going to get finished let alone published seeing as I will be seeing Endgame on either the 29 or 30 (yayy) and AP testing starts soon after (extra yayy) but i'll try guys! :D


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